Shell's earnings from petchem activities up over 13%

9:47 AM MDT | May 2, 2013 | Francinia Protti-Alvarez

Shell's chemicals earnings were up 13% year-over-year during the first quarter to €555 million ($731.7 million) on a current cost of supply basis, the company announced today. Meanwhile, sales volumes of chemical products for the first quarter 2013 decreased by 11.5% to 4.14 million m.t. compared with the same quarter a year ago, the company says. Earnings were higher as a result of improved margins, the company says. Chemicals manufacturing plant availability decreased to 92% from 94% for the first quarter 2012, as a result of higher planned maintenance...